Sasnovich Triumphs Over Osaka with Stunning Comeback in Beijing Matchfaceoff

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Sasnovich Triumphs Over Osaka with Stunning Comeback in Beijing Matchfaceoff

Aliaksandra Sasnovich Achieves Stunning Upset at China Open Against Naomi Osaka

Aliaksandra Sasnovich Overcomes Odds in China Open Victory

Qualifier Aliaksandra Sasnovich delivered a stunning performance at the China Open in Beijing, mounting an impressive comeback to defeat No. 12 seed and 2019 champion Naomi Osaka in a thrilling 1-6, 6-4, 6-2 match that lasted 1 hour and 56 minutes. This significant victory marks one of the biggest upsets of the tournament.

Osaka’s Previous Dominance in Beijing and Match History

Coming into the match, the statistics heavily favored Osaka. She had not lost a completed match in Beijing since 2018 and had recently made a resurgence into the Top 20 following a strong performance at the Montreal final and the US Open semifinals. Furthermore, Osaka had a flawless record against Sasnovich, winning all four prior meetings, including a dominant 6-0, 6-0 victory at the 2018 US Open.

Sasnovich’s Remarkable Turnaround

Sasnovich, who is a five-time WTA finalist and reached a career-high ranking of No. 29 in 2022, has experienced a challenging year, with her ranking falling to No. 130. Despite this, she stayed resilient and adjusted her strategy, successfully using an angled backhand winner to break Osaka’s serve in the second set, completely shifting the match momentum.

Sasnovich’s Impressive Statistics Highlight the Win

Sasnovich’s victory over Osaka marked her 24th career Top 20 win.
Her win against Osaka is her first against a Top 20 player in 16 months, dating back to her victory over Ekaterina Alexandrova in Rome 2024.
After a challenging first set, Sasnovich improved her serve accuracy to 64% in the second and third sets, tallying 21 winners across the final two sets.

Future Opportunities for Sasnovich

Boosted by consecutive tour-level wins for the first time since February, Sasnovich now advances to face No. 23 seed Marta Kostyuk. Kostyuk triumphed over qualifier Ella Seidel with an impressive 6-1, 6-1 victory, showcasing her strong net play and athleticism. Sasnovich aims to reach the last 16 at a WTA 1000 level or higher for the first time since Roland Garros 2022.

For more coverage on the China Open and other sports events, stay tuned to El-Balad.